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<title>Anklebiter by SaltysScribbles</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29988282">Anklebiter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaltysScribbles/pseuds/SaltysScribbles'>SaltysScribbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But tiny, WHAT IF THUNDERJAW</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:14:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>884</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29988282</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaltysScribbles/pseuds/SaltysScribbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aloy introduces some friends to her new pet</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anklebiter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>It's not often that Aloy brings others to her apartment; with Erend quartered at the palace, and Talanah's residence at the Lodge, there have always been more interesting places to gather, when they're all in town, and have the evening to themselves.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But the need to get out of the public eye from time to time, to have a private space where they can shed their titles and trappings, and just <em>be</em>, together, does arise from time to time.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tonight, for instance.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Beaming at the knock on the door and setting down the tray of fruit that she’s been busily arranging on a low table in the room’s center, she crosses to the door, throwing open the latch and inviting her gaggle of friends in with an eager wave of the hand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Come in! Make yourselves at home, please. Oh," she adds, almost as an afterthought, as, beneath one of the settes, a cluster of red optics blinks to life, "watch out for the Thunderjaw."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All four of the entrants pause on the threshold at that, frowning, tending, blinking their confusion. Teb is the first one to venture the question.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Th-thunderjaw?"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>From beneath the sofa, the machine emerges, stomping into the open with a grinding roar. The pristine plating covering its metal hide gleams in the light as it surveys the newcomers coldly, drawing itself up to its full height.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All twelve inches of it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>For a moment, all of Aloy’s friends seem to be struck dumb by the tiny beast’s appearance, and the rumbling growl (well... the <em>rumble</em>, anyway,) issuing from its throat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All except Talanah, that is.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Ohhohohoho<em>ho!</em>" she chortles as she swoops down to scoop the little machine into her hands, "he's <em>adorable!</em>"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The creature seems chagrined by this, flailing its tail wildly, battering the ends against her wrists in a fruitless storm of temper. One of the little turrets beside its jaws lights up with blasts of laser fire that harmlessly pepper her nose and cheeks, and she laughs, setting it down to itch at the spot absently.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Oh, and he's bitey, too!"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Crouching and holding out a hand to the little machine, Aloy beckons it over, wiggling her fingers to attract its attention.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"He is! I've been calling him 'Anklebiter.' It's about as high as he can reach, when he's motivated."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As Anklebiter swings the forked end of its tail, battering at the outstretched hand and rearing back to stomp on the ends of Aloy's fingers, Varl crouches beside her, drawing back and away when the head swings in his direction, and the baleful red eyes fix briefly on him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Where did you find this thing???"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Tapping at its neck, Aloy draws its attention back toward her, bowling the little machine over onto its back as it turns to swing at her again, and watching it thrash itself back upright, kicking at the floor with each of its feet in turn and charging straight into her open hands, head swinging from side to side angrily.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"One of the Cauldrons up north. There was... an error, or something. It just kept coming at me, but I just... couldn't bring myself to kill it. Not when it's so pathetic, like this."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Joining his fellow Nora in their little ring around the tiny Thunderjaw (albeit keeping most of Varl between himself and the machine,) Teb raises a brow, half-reaching for Anklebiter’s tail before thinking better of it, and withdrawing his hand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"So... you... decided to keep it as a pet?"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Yeah."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Another peppering of machine-gun fire trails up her wrist, and she plants a finger on Anklebiter’s head, pushing him back and out of firing range with ease, despite the little machine’s attempt to dig in its heels.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"...it still wants to <em>kill</em> you."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The little Thunderjaw charges again, and this time, Aloy diverts it to the side, nudging it away with the back of her hand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Well... yeah, but it... can't. The worst it can do is-"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>One of the disc launchers attached to the little machine's haunches fires, and the projectile pops against her shoulder with a snap of sparks. Brushing the debris from her sleeve, she shrugs.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"-that. It doesn't even really hurt. Feels like someone giving you a hard flick in the arm."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Talanah reaches down to swoop the machine into her arms again, and it writhes with fury, growling and grinding as it struggles to break free of her grip.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Well, <em>I</em> think he's great. Do you think he'd let me put a ribbon around his neck?"</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Beaming, Aloy rockets to her feet as well, nodding eagerly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>"Oh, absolutely not. We <em>have</em> to try, though."</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Out of the pair’s enthused line of sight, Varl and Teb exchange a look of both dread and morbid curiosity. Never as subtle, Erend lets out an explosive sigh, raising the bottle of scrappersap still clutched in his hand and giving it a little shake.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m going to need to be a LOT more drunk before we get into that load of nonsense.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Seizing the bottle by its neck, Aloy shoves it playfully against his chest.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Then start drinking! This is <em>happening, </em>whether he, you, or anyone else likes it or not.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Anklebiter, unaware of the cruel twist of fate that awaits it, raises its head to the ceiling and roars.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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